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Exciting

Darren Bent has urged Aston Villa to finally sign Said Benrahma from Brentford this summer.

Benrahma was a top target for Dean Smith last summer but Villa refused to meet the Bees’ £20million asking price for the attacker.

Despite missing the opening weeks of the season through injury, Benrahma has returned to drag Brentford into the promotion picture with 10 goals and seven assists from 30 Championship starts.

It’s only a matter of time before the Algerian steps up to the top flight and Villa could be well positioned to land him if they avoid relegation.

And former Villa striker Bent is in favour of Smith reuniting with Benrahma.

He told Football Insider: “He’s a very good player, he’s shown us all what a good player he is and I think he would be a great signing.

“He kind of reminds me of (Anwar) El Ghazi and Trezeguet, those guys there, and for me I think he’d be a great, great signing, a really good signing.

“He’s exciting, he’s been brilliant for Brentford this season. Him, Ollie Watkins and (Bryan) Mbeueno have all been very, very good.

"For Aston Villa, it depends. If they were to go down, they still carry a lot of weight in the Championship, even if they do go down they’re still a big club, massive. I think it would be a great signing whatever division they’re in.”

Gabby

Retired striker Gabby Agbonlahor has revealed how he turned down moves to both Tottenham and West Bromwich Albion.

The Aston Villa hero, scorer of 75 Premier League goals, hung up his boots two summers ago after failing to earn a new contract at Villa Park.

The one-club man, though, has since told how he was at the centre of two sensational transfers, first to Spurs in 2010 and, later, when Tony Pulis and Albion came calling upon Villa's relegation.

"There were serious options about moving at various times," Agbonlahor, still only 33, told The Athletic.

Aston Villa's Gabby Agbonlahor is fouled by Christopher Samba of Blackburn Rovers for a penalty

"It was the season that Martin O’Neill left when Spurs came in for me. I discussed it with my agent and we agreed that Spurs were a big club.

"But it didn’t feel right. I was in the Villa team every week, getting into the England squad and it’s my home team who I supported.

"Back then Spurs were only on a par with us. They also had four brilliant strikers, so why would I want to move?

"My love for Villa was too strong. It wasn’t really an option. I nipped it in the bud. It wasn’t an option for me.

"Why would I want to move sideways? I was enjoying my time at Villa so it wasn’t something I wanted to do."

Agbonlahor, meanwhile, explained how he "just couldn't move" to The Hawthorns, either.

"They were one of my biggest rivals and I have scored so many times against them.

"Their fans didn’t like me, either, and even though it wasn’t going well at Villa, I just couldn’t move so that one was cancelled too."

Contract

Keinan Davis has signed a contract extension with Aston Villa, according to reports.

The 22-year-old striker's deal was set to expire at the end of June - leaving him in limbo amid the suspension of football due to the coronavirus.

Davis has struggled with injuries this season, missing a significant period of Villa's battle against the drop, but before fixtures were postponed he had returned back as Dean Smith's backup for Mbwana Samatta off the bench.

Football Insider reports that Villa have tied him down by triggering a 12-month extension with plans to make a decision on his long-term future at the club at a later date.

Davis has managed just 129 minutes of Premier League action in 2019/20 after Smith persuaded him to shun going out on loan to Championship clubs last summer.

The forward, plucked from Biggleswade Town five years ago, was crocked for three months after pulling up against Wolves in October then suffered a hamstring setback when playing for Villa's under-23s in February.

He has scored once in 13 appearances this term, grabbing a goal in the 6-1 dismantling of League Two Crewe Alexandra in the Carabao Cup second round.

Coach

He was once the small blonde kid with spiky hair who was dubbed as a potential replacement for Aston Villa legend Alan Wright.

Flying full-back Danny Jackman was picked up by Villa at the age of 11 and, upon gaining a pro contract, was a reserve-team regular.

The man from Worcester was in and around the first-team setup during the end of John Gregory's tenure before Graham Taylor's shock return.

Taylor, who sadly died three years ago, was soon replaced by David O'Leary for the start of the 2003-04 campaign.

It was at this point Jackman thought he'd break through after going on tour with the likes of Olof Mellberg and Juan Pablo Angel in pre-season.